Medina FD reports record year in calls
MEDINA – The Medina Fire Department responded to a record number of calls in 2013 – 370 fire and 2,385 EMS calls. That is about four times the call volume as in 2006, the last year before Medina took over the ambulance service in western Orleans from Rural Metro.
In 2006, prior to taking over EMS transport services, the Fire Department answered about 700 calls for service. At that time, department had seven career firefighters and 20 call firefighters. Currently, the Fire Department operates with 13 career firefighters and 25 call firefighters.
The Village of Medina Board of Trustees commissioned Emergency Services Consulting Inc. to conduct a Fire Based EMS Feasibility Study in 2006, said firefighter Steve Cooley, the department’s public information officer. The study estimated that there would be approximately 1,500 annual calls for service. That is far below the 2,755 calls in 2013. The department is seeking a federal grant to cover the costs of adding two paid firefighters.
The ambulance service revenue received to date for 2013 is $913,000, making the average monthly revenue about $76,000. The department’s budget for 2013 was approximately $1.2 million. Village of Medina taxpayers made up the difference for the fire and EMS services.
The department is on pace to top the 2013 numbers. As of Jan. 21, the Fire Department responded to 208 calls for service, which is up from the 135 calls for service during the same time frame in 2013.